Dental Malpractice Lawyers » Dentist

My Dentist Abandoned Me. I Now Need A Full Mouth Restoration. Is There Anyone To Help People Like Me?

Charles Engel — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 06:30:46 +0000

After 14 yrs my dentist said I think we need a break so I can rethink what to do. Everything went wrong from crowns to bridges to lasering off gum tissue to make his work fit to finally breaking all my teeth off and capping everything. The treatment kept failing and I had to break off the work several times, several ways and finally 3 seperate surgeries of breaking them all off and starting all over again. He’s now abandoned me. My husband left me after 14 yrs at the same time. He was fed up too. This dental journey has been hell on both of us and there’s no fun for us to live through this together anymore. I now have to find money to pay for a full mouth restoration. I’m basically homeless, penniless and toothless. I am struggling to chew let alone go through malpractice and a divorce. I’ll journey through this hell without them even though my husband is the only family I have in the US. I almost gave up but found hope somehow. I reach out now in faith. Please help if you can.

Dentist Did A Bad Job?

Charles Engel — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 01:19:37 +0000

I have a friend who had a dentist in a rather low quality complex work on her teeth, and perform a root canal. She experienced a lot of pain from it, and when she went to another dentist the dentist said the previous dentist did a poor job and he was willing to write a note attesting to it. We want to simply have the charge (still unpaid) of $1100 returned. Now here’s the problems:
-She just moved so she cannot go back to that dentist, I have to act as a representative.
-She currently has no dental insurance to see another dentist and get a note.
-The case is over a year old, how can we find out the statute of limitations in the state of Hawaii on this?
We don’t want to sue and add to the malpractice epidemic, but if we have to we will. We just want the charge taken off of her total debt. What can we do?

My Old Dentist Globbed Composite On My Teeth. I Couldnt Wear Retainer. I Need Veneers. Dentistry Malpractice?

Charles Engel — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 00:11:04 +0000

My old dentist, HORRIBLY globbed bonding composite on my teeth to cover up some scarring from braces. 2 days later, I went to NWYC for 5 weeks, and my post-braces retainer wouldn’t fit, so my teeth quickly got misaligned. I now need 8 veneers, along with some additional dental work.
The globbed composite is normally sculpted to look like a tooth. I have a few friends with it, and it looks normal. Mine feel like my teeth are pregnant. The tooth is visible near the gums, and a fat glob of composite is beneath.
The veneers are going to cost me about 9000.
Do I have grounds to sue against his mal-practice insurance?

I Recently Had A Horrible Experience With A Dentist, And Wonder If It Is Considered Malpractice?

Charles Engel — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 12:07:52 +0000

or what else I can do about it. Long story, I went to a new dentist to get crown lengthening and a build up from a root canal and I asked to be premeditated because I am terrified of dentist and have been so in the past. He refused and said I would not feel anything because the nerve endings are dead, I trusted him and let me tell you when he cut into my gums for crown lengthening I sure felt that! He tried to numb me but the pain even from the shot was horrible I said I had enough, he called me a baby and told me to have it pulled if I have this much trouble getting work done.
Well I thought what a bad dentist… well the same day a friend of mine came to the same dentist unaware what I had been through and the Dentist and the Dental assistant were talking about me and my tooth that they said I just needed to get extracted and I was a horrible baby and speaking about my confidential file in front of my friend unaware that I knew them (I mean talking like first and last name). IT went on for an hour so on and so forth of what the dentist was speaking about me. Isn’t this a severe confidentiality breach? What can be done? If he does this with me he obviously does this with other patients. I feel completely humiliated and like my privacy was not respected at all.

What Is Wrong With A Dentist Making Over $100,000 A Year?

Charles Engel — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 07:20:09 +0000

I am a dental assistant, so I know the behinds the scenes reasons why dentistry is so expensive. I am amazed at the number of people on here who call dentists money hungry and complain about the amount of money that dentists make, but a dentist isn’t so bad when that same person has a horrible toothach. Do patients really think that the money they pay a dentist goes directly into their pocket? Do patients not realize that everything that they see in that office, from the drills to the anesthetic down to a single piece of paper, costs money, and that a dentist has to pay for all of this, rent, lab bills, utilities, salaries, malpractice insurance, continueing ed courses, repairs to computers and other equipment, before he pockets a dime of the money patients pay him? I can tell you, if I went to school for 8 years, paid over $300,000 for dental school, and had to deal with the issues that dentists do, I would expect to take home over $1000,000 a year. Wouldn’t you?

The Dentist Who Commits Malpractice Does So By?

Charles Engel — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 06:10:43 +0000

Part One
1. The dentist who commits malpractice does so by
A. not doing a thorough head and neck examination.
B. prescribing medication.
C. doing harm to a patient.
D. allowing auxiliaries to work under general supervision.
2. When obtaining a medical history of the patient, it’s important to
A. clarify information that’s unclear or vague.
B. learn if another patient referred him or her.
C. not treat the patient if he or she has a slight cold.
D. be sure his or her address is correct.
3. Why is it important for the DA to know about the laws governing dentistry?
A. To work efficiently on the patients’ teeth
B. To prevent questions from the patients
C. To prevent contributing to malpractice
D. To be able to answer patients’ questions about suing the dentist
4. Vital signs are
A. never needed in emergency.
B. monitored only during anesthesia.
C. the signs of life.
D. a charting system.
5. A palpation (head and neck) examination should include
A. carious lesions.
B. blood pressure, pulse, and respiration.
C. under-the-tongue glands and the neck and cheeks.
D. medication the patient is taking.
6. To know if a patient has tuberculosis, hepatitis B, or AIDS is important because
A. they’re serious illnesses.
B. they can’t be cured.
C. cross-infection may occur.
D. they could compromise the vital sign readings.
7. What is respiration?
A. 14–20 beats per minute
B. Artery pulses
C. Taking in air
D. Inhalation and expiration
8. In order to avoid breaking the law, the dentist must
A. give added responsibility to trained auxiliaries.
B. provide direct supervision in some areas of the assistant’s duties.
C. only provide indirect supervision.
D. be present while auxiliaries take the health history or clean teeth.
9. Which medical condition(s) can be compromised by dental treatment?
A. Heart, high blood pressure, heart murmur
B. Herpes simplex type 1
C. AIDS, hepatitis B, tuberculosis
D. Diabetes
10. Who makes the diagnosis of an abnormal condition?
A. The patient
B. The dental assistant
C. The dentist
D. The hygienist
11. The dentist usually waits for six months before treating a patient who has
A. had rheumatic fever.
B. been pregnant.
C. had a stroke.
D. diabetes.
12. When a patient hasn’t seen a physician in a long time, it tells us the patient may
A. have high blood pressure.
B. be very healthy.
C. have dental caries.
D. have an undiagnosed disease.
13. During the head, neck, and oral examination, the dentist looks at
A. the ears for shape and style.
B. TMJ symptoms if asked by patient.
C. the oral mucosa and gingiva.
D. the teeth and tongue only if infected.
14. In an emergency, the carotid pulse is often used to monitor the heart rate. It’s found
A. on either ankle.
B. on either side of the windpipe.
C. one inch below the thumb.
D. inside the bend of the elbow.
15. Before dental treatment can begin, a patient who has had a hip or knee replacement must
A. have his or her teeth cleaned.
B. have a head and neck examination.
C. wait six months.
D. take an antibiotic.
16. _______ is the way the body breaks down medication and food.
A. Malnutrition
B. Metabolism
C. Dialysis
D. Hypotension
17. When blood pressure is taken, the _______ reading is the time of most pressure and the _______ reading is the time of least pressure.
A. diastolic, systolic
B. top, bottom
C. abnormal, normal
D. bottom, top
18. If BP readings are consistently 145 mm Hg/99 mm Hg over a period of time, the patient may have
A. hypertension.
B. a BP screening test.
C. hypotension.
D. a condition known as shock.
19. The purpose of the medical history is to
A. get to know the patient better.
B. help the dental auxiliary prepare the operatory.
C. help provide safe dental treatment to patients.
D. help the dentist decide which patients to see and which to refer to someone else.
20. This instrument pictured is a/an _______ and is used to ______.
A. explorer, find caries in tooth enamel
B. periodontal probe, measure the size of tumors inside the mouth
C. explorer, measure periodontal bone loss
D. periodontal probe, measure the free gingival margin around the tooth
Part Two
Questions 21–25: Carefully read the instructions below, then begin.
On the charting representation, note the left and right sides.
Note in the midline.
Number the teeth in the three systems as designated on the grid above and below the teeth.
Note: The Universal System and some classifications will be used in the charting exercise. Later questions will be asked about this charting but other numbering systems will be referred to. (Remember that neatness is important!)
Select the best answer to each question based on the charting in the figure below.
21. From the chart, determine: How many tooth extractions are needed?
A. 3
B. 6
C. 2
D. 1
22. What tooth numbers have complex caries?
A. #10 and #14
B. #5 and #19
C. #2 and #19
D. #3 and #20
23. What dental disease is present on the lower anterior teeth?
A. Pulpitis
B. Periodontal
C. Herpes simplex type 1
D. Candidiasis
24. Using the FDI system, determine which tooth is partially erupted.
A. #17
B. #18
C. #16
D. #10
25. What is the classification for the caries on tooth #31, FDI system?
A. Class V
B. Class II
C. Class I
D. Class VI

Can I Sue My Dentist For Negligence And Win? He Did 2 Root Canals Last Year And I Had To Have Them Redone.?

Charles Engel — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 00:54:34 +0000

He has since sold his practice and upon searching his name online I have found out there are around 20+ people who have filed complaints against him for fraud, abuse, negligence and not keeping accurate records. He was abusive toward me and his staff, and refused to return calls. He prescribed me about 10 vicodin prescriptions when I moved away and said his work was fine. He recently sold his practice and I have been told he is “out of the country” countless times. I can’t get sleep at night because I feel like he did something very wrong. I am not the type to go off suing people, but this man should surely have to pay me back, right? I would like to know if this case is worth pursuing. It has not been quite a year yet, and I now live in a different state. Please, any help from people who are familiar with dental malpractice, please give me some input.

My Dentist Tries To Collect Money Through Collection Agency After He Did Malpractice.?

Charles Engel — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 00:21:21 +0000

He distroyed my teeth and I reported him to California Dental Board a year ago. Now he is asking for money. I spent 5 time more money to fix his malpractice. What should I do ? I will not pay anything for his malpractice. We disputed about his practice and he know this. But he is really unethical and not professional asking for money for that now. He is insane. What should I do if he send this to a collection agency.

Who Should I Contact If I Need To File A Malpractice Claim Against A Dentist?

Charles Engel — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 22:52:20 +0000

bad dental care from dentist, unsanitary proceedures, dental work (fillings in a tooth has cracked in 1/2 and cavity that was suppose to be corrected has gotten larger, part of filling is intact the other half is floating up to the gum, and floats around loose. Related posts:Do I Need A Root Canal? Is This [...] Related posts:

How Can I Find Out If A Dentist Has Ever Had Any Complaints Or Malpractice Brought Against Him?

Charles Engel — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 18:30:23 +0000

A friend of mine got a really botched dental routine and now has to get a root canal and two permanent extractions due to this other dentist that messed her up. How can we find out if this dentist has done this type of thing before and if she can file malpractice on him?